As a public service, NEWS of the WORLD reprints The FUNNY STUFF FUNNIES, an educational comic book giving basic facts on drugs and alcohol. Each post reproduces a page from the booklet, which is aimed at young persons and which avoids sermonizing and excessive wordiness.
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PR1
Drinking problemsProblem drinking may be mild, moderate or severe. Some problem drinkers may drink a lot periodically. They don't always drink, but when they do, they get blitzed. Others drink quite heavily daily but, usually, "hold their liquor." Still others control their drinking for months on end, but eventually feel compelled to drink themselves to oblivion -- often winding up in hospital.
And it is quite usual for drinkers to routinely mix alcohol with other chems, such as Ecstasy, meth, LSD and -- very dangerously -- with depressants.
Generally, a problem drinker faces difficulty in stopping drinking or in rationing the amount drunk.
PR2
As with other drugs, excessive use of alcohol can bring on a rewiring of the brain whereby the brain tells the body and mind: keep the alcohol coming. People can and do recover from alcoholism and problem drinking. Even so, the disorder goes into remission -- meaning relapse must be guarded against. There are therapies and medications that can help. Mutual support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, have proved very effective for even the most seemingly hopeless cases.
According to a 2019 national survey, 14.1 million adults above age 17 had drinking problems. Among youths aged 12 to 17, about 414,000 were problem drinkers.
Risk of developing a serious problem rises with how much, how often and how quickly you down your alcohol. The more you drink at a time and the more often you drink brings you closer and closer to the invisible line of true addiction. You are shocked to discover that you cannot leave the stuff alone whenever you wish. You cannot just walk away from it. You cannot just have one and enjoy life.
PR3
Did you start drinking when you were very young? Those who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop serious drinking problems than are people who put off drinking until age 21, according to one important survey. Among girls, the rate of affliction is even worse.
Nature and nurture both play a role in whether you wind up with an alcohol problem. But, who will come down with this terrible affliction? There are no easy answers. It strikes people of all personality types from every walk of life and with every type of childhood and education. It does seem to be true that people with depression, mental trauma or attention deficit may self-medicate with alcohol.
Note on terms
Some professionals these days have dropped the terms alcoholic and alcoholism and now use the phrase alcohol use disorder. Some prefer the word disorder to disease when talking about out-of-control drinking. Sometimes still other terms are used, such as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence and alcohol addiction. But, whichever terms you use, the idea is that for some people drinking is a problem that may result in a lengthy affliction.
PR4
Do I have a problem?
In the past year, have I:
✓ Had times when I ended up drinking more, or longer, than I intended?You don't have to have experienced the most severe symptoms to be someone who might well benefit from treatment in a rehabilitation center, or by a doctor, or by participating in self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
✓ Thought seriously about cutting down or stopping drinking?
✓ Tried to stop, but excused myself when I did not stop?
✓ Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick? Or getting over other aftereffects?
✓ Wanted a drink so badly I could think of nothing else?
✓ Found that drinking — or being sick from drinking — often interfered with taking care of my home or family? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?
✓ Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with family or friends?
✓ Given up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to me, or gave me pleasure, in order to drink more?
✓ Found myself in bad situations that increased my chance of getting hurt? (Examples: driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having unprotected sex.)
✓ Even though drinking was making me feel depressed or anxious or affecting my health, did I keep drinking anyway?
✓ Even though I have memory blackouts while drunk, do I blow them off as unimportant?
✓ As time goes on, do I have to keep downing more and more to get the effect I want?
✓ When the alcohol is wearing off, do I have trouble sleeping, the shakes, the sweats, a racing heart, restlessness, nausea or other signs of withdrawal?
✓ When my alcohol use has been stopped abruptly, have I seen hallucinations, had a seizure and been hospitalized for delirium tremens (DTs)?
PR5
Treatment for drinking problems?
When it comes to treatment, one size does not fit all and a treatment approach that may work for one person may not work for another. Treatment can be outpatient or inpatient and be provided by specialty programs, therapists and doctors.
A person with a severe problem may need medical intervention before halting drinking so as to avert the possibility of the DTs and seizure. A person with the DTs may be hurt himself while hallucinating. A seizure can lead to death.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) gives the following information:
Medications
Three medications are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help people stop or reduce their drinking and prevent relapse: naltrexone (oral and long-acting injectable), acamprosate, and disulfiram. All these medications are non-addictive, and they may be used alone or combined with behavioral treatments or mutual-support groups.
PR6
Behavioral Treatments
Behavioral treatments, also known as alcohol counseling or “talk therapy,” provided by licensed therapists are aimed at changing drinking behavior. Examples of behavioral treatments are brief interventions and reinforcement approaches, treatments that build motivation and teach skills for coping and preventing relapse, and mindfulness-based therapies.
Mutual-Support Groups
Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking. Group meetings are available in most communities, at low or no cost, at convenient times and locations—including an increasing presence online. This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support.
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/cycle-alcohol-addiction
'Alcohol use disorder'
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder
PR7
The author of The Funny Stuff Funnies takes sole responsibility for the content of this e-booklet. This booklet has not been sponsored, either directly or indirectly, by any government or non-government organization or fellowship, such as AA or NA.
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Find table of content for Funny Stuff Funnies at this link.
The Lunapic image editor contributed greatly to this booklet's pictorial enhancement. Other image editors used were Palette and Petalica.
Go to NEXT page.
Find table of content for Funny Stuff Funnies at this link.
The Lunapic image editor contributed greatly to this booklet's pictorial enhancement. Other image editors used were Palette and Petalica.
